ESA brings to each project a broad point of view that comes from over four decades of working with private developers, municipal utilities, the public, and federal, state, and local agencies coupled with the project-specific expertise and practical knowledge it takes to perform at the local level.

At ESA, we employ over 500 bright, creative, and dedicated professionals throughout our California, Florida, Oregon, and Washington offices. Ours is a top notch team widely recognized for technical excellence and solutions-based consulting.

ESA was founded in California in 1969, shortly before enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)—landmark laws that have greatly influenced environmental planning and analysis.

Southern Sierra Region Ecological Reserve Management Plans

California’s Department of Fish and Game (DFG) identified more than 50 areas in need of resource conservation and use evaluation. Four of these, ecological preserves totaling 7,000-acres in California’s San Joaquin Valley-Southern Sierra region, are home to sensitive habitats and protected species including the San Joaquin kit fox and blunt-nosed leopard lizard.

ESA collaborated with the DFG bringing expertise in large-scale adaptive management planning to develop unique management plans for each of the four reserves. Our team evaluated each property for land preservation and conservation of endangered species. We identified and prioritized wetlands and riparian area restoration along with areas that would benefit from less use, and those areas that offered the best opportunities for bird-watching and hiking. Using an adaptive management plan and environmental analysis the plan guides the restoration but allows for future refinement.

ESA’s unique experience with adaptive management planning on a large-scale was applied to these four smaller ecological reserves; providing guidance for the DFG on how to use, protect and restore valuable habitats an species.